Something Like Love
by bebobnidan
Summary: Ryan and Natalia discuss their feelings during a stakeout. Set in Season 9.  RaiN/RnB, implied Ryan/Molly -slightly inspired by the X-Files.


**A/N: I REALLY have to stop getting sidetracked. This one-shot was bugging me. Don't worry, OTEOS is still continuing for a little while longer, and the sequel to BTHE will be coming within the next few weeks, but this is a little detour. Hope I didn't disappoint! Slightly inspired by the X-Files. Enjoy and R/R!**

Something Like Love

The first time she heard him do it, she hadn't known how to react. Sure, Ryan had continued to surprise her day in and day out- everyday a new trick up his sleeve or some fun fact he just hadn't yet divulged. It pissed her off, truthfully- she never felt like she knew him until he spun her some tale about his safecracking abilities, and then she'd become comfortable with their closeness- but then he'd drop another one of his anecdotes on her and she would continue to wonder why she even made efforts to get to know him. Ryan sings?

"You seem surprised," Ryan remarked, observing her reaction.

"Pleasantly so," she replied truthfully, smacking on a stick of gum.

"You know, this stakeout wasn't my idea."

"I know."

"Just in case you were wondering if this was some kind of stunt."

"I wasn't wondering."

"Good." Another awkward silence filled the car. Honestly, she'd gotten used to the short-lived conversations and the small smiles that were soon replaced by stony frowns of concentration. They flirted up a storm, and that was all she was comfortable with. No admission of feelings, no deep heart-to-heart, and hopefully there would be no confessions tonight. It was stakeout between partners- that was all it would ever be. Natalia cracked open another iced tea and gulped down the sweet cold liquid as it trickled down her throat. She soon regained her voice.

"I'm sorry, I'm just recovering from a cold," she coughed into her elbow.

"Not a problem. If you have to puke, aim out the window."

There was again silence. Perhaps Natalia should have considered a more interesting topic of conversation that could potentially lead to a lengthy back-and-forth. But instead, all she could muster was the strength to mention that she was sick before she felt her knees wobble. This wasn't like her- Natalia didn't get nervous around guys. _ESPECIALLY _not Ryan. So why was she feeling like a kid with a schoolgirl crush she just can't admit?

"How's Molly?" was the only words she could blurt without it becoming too personal.

"I don't know. Haven't talked to her in a while," he replied coldly.

"Hmmm… let me guess. She heard your singing and ran for the hills?" Natalia joked. It was meant as a friendly gesture, but somehow it just came out as a cruel taunt.

"Yeah, something like that," Ryan agreed, popping a sunflower seed in his mouth.

"God Damnit, Ryan, you belong on the X-Files," Natalia quipped. At least it earned her a small smile from her companion.

"I am nothing like Mulder, Scully," Ryan corrected and Natalia giggled.

"Hate that show," she whispered and that earned her a shocked expression.

"X-Files is the EPITOME of all amazing crime sci-fi shows!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Not quite my cup of tea, Ryan, but thanks for the concern," she offered and he smiled.

"Dana Scully is the most beautiful woman on the planet. How is that not your cup of tea, Natalia?"

"First of all, the beauty of some actress does not concern me. Secondly, the show is ANCIENT. I would be embarrassed to mention it to anyone but you."

"Why me?"

"Because you're dorky enough to have watched it," Natalia quipped and he laughed.

"I've memorized ALL of the episodes. All of them," he added for emphasis.

"I'm sure you have. New subject, please."

Ryan sighed and downed his second iced tea of the night, washing down the salty taste of his previous sunflower seeds. Natalia twirled her hair in one tan hand, the silky chocolate strands playing like waves against her fingers like the shore. "You have a good day off?" he asked.

"Sorta. I cleaned up my boyfriend's mess and then went shopping with Cal."

"So you have a boyfriend?" Ryan ventured. He didn't know why he asked- it wasn't particularly interesting, as the question could only be answered in the affirmative of the negative. The question was also relatively rhetorical- he'd just heard her say that she had a boyfriend, so asking it seemed like overkill. _Maybe_, he thought to himself, _you're hoping that she misspoke. _He brushed the thought away. That was years ago. He had Molly now- sure, things weren't great, but pursuing Natalia was the last thing on his mind… or maybe the second-to-last…or maybe the only. _Damnit, Ryan, stop it!_

"Yeah. Things aren't all that serious, though. Just some great sex."

Those few words hit Ryan harder than he'd expected. Instead of the cliché wave of jealousy most prospective lovers would feel, he simply imagined seeing Natalia naked-perverted as it was, it was all he could think about. _Damnit. _

"It got that far and it's not _all that serious_?" Ryan asked incredulously.

"Oh please, Ryan, don't tell me you haven't had loose commitments."

"So you're the kind of girl that just gives herself up to any guy on the street corner?"

Natalia looked at him, a shocked hurt gleaming in her amber eyes. "Ryan! I knew him well enough before things got sexual! He was a friend from college. It's not SERIOUS, but it's safe. Trust me."

Ryan snorted. "I'm not your father, why would I give a damn?"

"Well you clearly have a lot to say on the matter," Natalia snapped and turned back to reading the magazine. Ryan decided to change the subject, feeling the tension.

"You know, since we're on a stakeout, you probably should be watching the house, not reading _People _magazine."

"Cute," Natalia smirked and tossed the magazine in the back seat of his car. Ryan winced at the mess she was accumulating- in an hour or so, Ryan was sure his car would never be the same. "New subject, please."

"I offered one up the last time. Your turn."

"Okay. What's going on between Cal and Eric?"

"Nothing anymore. I think they dropped the ball on that one."

"You're the one that told me about it in the first place," Natalia insisted, picking up her iced tea and resisting the urge to reach into his bag of sunflower seeds.

"I know, I shouldn't have gossiped. Sorry."

"Hey, who's complaining?"

"You, evidently," Ryan quipped and Natalia snorted.

"No girl will want you for your humor, that's for sure."

"Really? I thought that one was good," Ryan exclaimed and Natalia giggled.

"If anything, it's just that you're such a dork that she couldn't keep her hands off of you."

"I can't keep my hands off of you," Ryan blurted. _Did I say that aloud,_ he thought.

"Ryan?" Natalia asked, looking at him fearfully.

"Clearly my jokes don't work on you," Ryan recovered quickly.

"Oh, thank God," Natalia chuckled. "For a second there… never mind."

"So what would you have said? If I was serious there," Ryan ventured.

"I don't know. Maybe that I already have a boyfriend from France," Natalia laughed and then regained her slight frown. "Why do you ask?"

"Just because. Trying to see my effect on beautiful women," Ryan replied coolly.

"Cute. Flattery will get you nowhere but a woman's doorstep," Natalia responded and gulped down her iced tea. A thunderous belch he was hopeful she had not intended followed the intake. "Oh my God, Ryan I'm so sorry!" she burped, shocked.

"Burping will get you nowhere. Period."

"I didn't mean to!" Natalia snapped and then turned back to her magazine, which she had recovered from her mess in the backseat. "What would you say? If I said that to you?"

"I'd tell you that as much as I'd like to fuck you in my car, it really isn't sanitary."

Natalia burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh lord, how can I ever get a straight answer out of you?"

"One of my many attractive traits," Ryan quipped and Natalia laughed again.

"Let's have some quiet time, Ryan, while you get your urges in line."

Ryan complied gladly, hopeful that no more of his verbal gaffes would recur.

Xxx

Contrary to Natalia's initial belief, an hour of silence with Ryan chewing thoughtfully on sunflower seeds did not quell her own arousal. She couldn't admit the truth to the one that she loved. Ever. There'd always been an undercurrent of attraction between the two. She knew that Ryan had brushed it aside for the most part after their hilariously awkward first date at a Mexican wrestling match. For some reason, ever since then, they had never brought it up. _Now's a good time, _Natalia thought to herself.

"Ryan, did you like our date?"

He looked at her, startled initially by the breaking of the silence but then recovered quickly. "Yeah, I had a great time. I guess fun for one just doesn't really translate into fun for two, am I right?"

"I had a good time too, Ry," Natalia argued. "It was just weird."

"I know, I remember," he laughed and then popped another sunflower seed.

"That can't be good for you," Natalia snapped and stole the bag from him. He looked surprised at first but then smirked and pulled out a second bag from the compartment beside him.

"Just in case," he replied to her amused expression.

"Mmmm. Sure. You positive it's not just because one bag doesn't get you buzzed enough?"

"Buzzed? Natalia, I'm going for more than buzzed," he joked and she giggled.

"You have a fucked up sense of humor, Ry," she offered.

"That's why you love me!" Ryan quipped timidly and she smiled.

"Yeah… something like love," she agreed. A smile played across her lips.

"Do you love me?" Ryan asked, surprised by his own straightforwardness.

"How do you mean?" Natalia inquired, suddenly curious.

"It's kind of a simple question, Talia," he smirked and she grinned slowly.

"Yeah, I suppose I do. You're one of my better friends I guess," Natalia offered.

"I'll take it," Ryan agreed and nudged her with his elbow. "Love you too."

"It's a miracle to me that you're not married," Natalia mused jokingly and he rolled his eyes.

"Marriage is dating without the sex," Ryan corrected and Natalia shook her head.

"People have sex during marriage too, Ry," Natalia argued and Ryan conceded. "Ryan, marriage is a union. It's virtually unbreakable. It means that two people love each other unconditionally."

"Like you and me?" Ryan asked, suddenly embarrassed that he'd asked.

"Yeah, but with the sex," Natalia answered jokingly.

"I wouldn't mind adding it in," Ryan mocked and she smiled with a laugh.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. You get your satisfaction from Molly, of all people."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"You wish, Wolfe!"

"Yeah I do!" he mocked and she smiled again.

"Ryan, quiet time part two. Deal?"

"You know we probably missed the suspect, right?"

"Just shut up."

Xxx

Watching his arms move was mesmerizing. Natalia had never let herself get fully lost in Ryan- she had always been embarrassed and had never had an excuse to do so without being called out on it. Now as he popped sunflower seeds into his mouth rhythmically and slowly tapped against the window, drumming with the beat of the Auto-tuned Lady GaGa song, Natalia felt herself slowly losing all of the walls she had built up to protect herself from situations like these. His biceps slowly clenched as he drummed, retracting slowly and giving her a perfect view of his smiling face, as he watched her. He thought she was sleeping, but with the slight tilt of her eyelids she could see all- including Ryan.

What she didn't know was that Ryan was thinking similar things to her. Every time a smile danced across her lips in supposed sleep, he noticed what perfect teeth she had as they sent a miniscule ray of sunlight into the dark car as night approached. The shadows of the encasing darkness cast dark shades across her caramel skin and the sloping of her chest as she heaved a breath in sleep. Ryan had never felt so perverted, but he just couldn't tear his eyes away from the beautiful woman supposedly dreaming beside him. He had an excuse…or something like that.

"Ryan?" she whispered, faking that she had just woken up.

"Mmmm?" he replied, grabbing her hand and stroking the back of it calmly.

"Ry…at the warehouse…what were you thinking?"

"You mean when you were drugged?"

"Yeah."

"Well, first of all I was so fucking worried for you that I couldn't think straight," Ryan recalled, drumming the fingers of his left hand on the car door while his other hand slowly stroked across Natalia's soft fingers. "And when we found you I was so relieved that you were okay that I couldn't think straight again."

"I do love you, you know that, right?" Natalia mumbled and he nodded with a smile.

"I knew it… it was just nice to hear you say it," Ryan agreed, grinning ear to ear.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and he looked at her, confused.

"About what?"

"That it took me so long to finally tell you."

"Natalia, I would have waited the rest of my life and never once would I blame you for it."

"Good," she replied firmly and stroked a strand of hair out of her eyes. She swiftly put her hair up in a ponytail and rested her head heavily on Ryan's shoulder. He tensed initially at the contact but relaxed as she slowly closed her eyes and began to breathe steadily. "Ryan?" she asked again and he glanced down at her.

"Mmmm?"

"Do you love Molly?"

The question came as a surprise to Ryan- never once had he considered it. Surely there had been inklings of deeper feelings between Molly and him. They had dated and kissed- and gone further to the point of no return. But never once did he consider what they felt for each other as _love_- it would just be rushed. This conversation was also getting much too personal. "I don't think so," he replied earnestly and he could feel Natalia relax against his chest. "She's beautiful, I'll give you that."

"But that hairdo?" Natalia snorted. "In the name of all unsightly blemishes."

Ryan chuckled. If he hadn't known better, he would've taken Natalia's sudden abhorrence of Molly as jealousy- but he and Natalia had had their chance. Perhaps that 'chance' had allowed them to grow closer, into something a lot more real than romantic love. Ryan would be lying if he said that he hadn't hoped for more, but that time was passed- he knew it, and he knew that she knew it as well.

"Hey Ryan?" she asked again and he looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

"Who was your first love?"

Ryan carefully considered the question. Had he been a romantic, he probably would have said that it was his first girlfriend, but truthfully that was just generosity. "Probably you," he gushed and she looked up at him, surprised. She removed her head slowly from his shoulder and glanced at him.

"Are you serious?"

"Yup," he conceded. _There's no turning back now, _he thought.

"You know that I meant romantic love, right?"

"Absolutely," Ryan nodded.

"Okay," Natalia replied, unsure of how she was supposed to reply.

"Now, I'm not a social butterfly, but I'm pretty sure that that admission warrants a better response," Ryan quipped, earning a blush from his partner.

"Oh, keep your mouth shut," Natalia snapped playfully and slapped his arm. "My first love was Nick," she admitted, and Ryan looked at her, trying to force the shocked expression off of his face. "Things were good, once," Natalia, replied, defensive.

"I don't doubt it," Ryan agreed and kissed her slowly on the forehead. Natalia blushed at the contact, and Ryan retreated to his side of the car, popping another sunflower seed in his mouth, grinning stupidly.

"Shouldn't we be watching for our suspect?"

"Sure. Quiet time part three."

Xxx

"You know, you can put on some music," Natalia offered.

"What do you like?" Ryan asked, taking out his phone to play the music.

"Kelly Clarkson," Natalia spoke. "And no one else."

"I don't have Kelly Clarkson," Ryan admitted. "Personally I'm not all for the pop rock diva thing."

"Blasphemy," Natalia mocked and Ryan ran a hand through his hair, clearly amused. "Fine. Just silence. That's cool with me."

"You're cute when you're angry," Ryan laughed and she smiled awkwardly.

"You're sweet," she giggled and placed a loving hand on his cheek. "Now shut up."

"So forceful. It's a wonder you're not married," Ryan quipped, but the response was a cold glare. Had he really hurt her that much with one tasteless joke?

"I was married. Once," Natalia snapped and turned back to her magazine.

"I know, I know. I was just joking," Ryan pleaded.

"It wasn't funny, Ry. Just… stop it, okay?"

"I'm sorry," Ryan conceded and she offered a fake smile.

"It's okay. These stakeouts are the worst fucking things on the planet when neither of us have a life."

"Hey, I have a life!" Ryan argued. "Just not one outside of work," he admitted and Natalia laughed.

"Therefore, it's the definition of having no life," Natalia giggled and turned back to the magazine. Natalia had always wondered what it would be like had she stayed with Nick- would they have had children? A family? A LIFE? Now as she sat with Ryan in the front seat of his immaculate car, she considered these same possibilities, but with a different variable- instead of Nick, she saw _Ryan. Ryan_ returning home from work, calling the cliché announcement at 8:00 p.m. "Honey, I'm home!" She saw _Ryan_ tucking their children in bed at night, kissing them softly on the foreheads as he dragged the covers up to their chins. She saw _Ryan _kissing her gently as they made dinner together, ready to wait all night long until they could spend time together. And truthfully, seeing _Ryan _in her daydreams scared the crap out of her.

"Ryan?" she whispered. "Would you ever want to marry someone?"

He looked at her, surprised. "No one would ever marry me."

Natalia dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Not answering the question."

"Alright, yeah, someday soon maybe. I don't know. It'd be nice to finally settle down. I'd probably cut my hours…but I would need a hell of a lot more money before I had kids."

"So you want kids?" Natalia pressed, suddenly interested.

"Someday, yeah. What guy doesn't want a son?"

"I guess. So you'd want a son instead of a daughter?"

"I'd love 'em just the same. I'm not a male chauvinist, so whatever you want."

_Did he just say you_? Natalia thought to herself. Ryan had just said _you. _Did he think of the same things she did? Did he feel the same connection? _Of course not, he's with Molly,_ she convinced herself and turned back to her magazine, dismissing it. Ryan clearly hadn't noticed his verbal gaffe and instead continued to munch on his sunflower seeds, musing over his future…his future that he hoped included Natalia.

"How about you, Talia? Would you ever get married again?"

Natalia pretended to consider it- did he know that that was all she had been thinking about for the past twenty minutes? "Maybe, if the right person came around."

"Interesting. So you have a type?"

"Hmmm…" Natalia began, tapping her index finger against her chin. "I don't think I have one. Smart, funny, hopefully attractive," she listed. "Preferably _not _named Nick," she laughed and Ryan forced a smile.

"Kids?" he interrogated and she smirked.

"I could not handle kids, Ryan. I'd get a babysitter."

"I think you could handle them," Ryan insisted quietly.

"You think I'd be a good mom?" Natalia inquired curiously, cocking her head to the side.

"Yeah, I'm sure you would. If you could get off work before midnight," Ryan joked wryly, and Natalia smirked. "Ya know, I think you'd be an awesome mom," Ryan agreed and she smiled softly.

"Thanks. You too I guess," she smirked playfully and slapped his arm.

"Hey, Natalia, I'm going to fall asleep if we don't stop this conversation," Ryan mocked at Natalia rolled her eyes.

"You're such a GUY," she laughed and then turned to her magazine. "Quiet time. Part four."

Xxx

Quiet time, as they christened it so aptly, was killing her. Watching Ryan as he snored softly next to her, she began to wonder if what she was feeling for him was abnormal between friends. They were colleagues at least- friends at most. Nothing more. Natalia had found herself repeating this mantra over and over again in her mind like a ceaseless chorus. How could she even _consider _it as any more than that? That was immature and overtly hopeful. Natalia and Ryan had been through enough together- to the point where sometimes she couldn't even stand in the same room with him without thinking about how he used to treat her. How could a relationship work based on past failures? Ryan was a different man now, and she was a different woman, so wasn't their relationship different? She knew he would continue to grow- but what about her? Every time someone mentions marriage or children or even something as innocent as the name _Nick, _she would break down. How could she grow into a different person if every time she fell asleep his maniacal face haunted her dreams?

"Hey Talia, I think that's our guy," Ryan nudged her out of her reverie.

Natalia squinted through the darkness, and then rolled her eyes. "That's an alligator, Ryan," she laughed. "What is it with you and wildlife?"

"I already told you. Plus, why would there be an alligator in a suburban cul-de-sac?"

"You are not seriously considering that someone let that alligator loose to kill someone, are you?"

"No, but from the matchmaking case a few months back, I'd say it's a perfectly viable concern. But you answer your question, no, that's not what I'm thinking."

"Ry, if you're saying that some guy dressed up in an alligator suit and is crawling down the street to escape us, I might have to consider the fact that you just downed two entire bags of sunflower seeds and that you're probably higher than heaven right now."

"Ha ha, very funny," Ryan snapped wryly. "Forget it."

There was an awkward silence again, and Natalia slowly tapped against the windowsill with her painted fingernails. "Hey Natalia?"

"Yes?"

"Why were you staring at me? Before I told you that I thought that the alligator was our guy?"

"I was not," Natalia defended.

"Talia, unless you were gazing intently at the steering wheel, I have to disagree."

"I thought you were asleep," she confessed.

"I wasn't," he argued. The conversation ended awkwardly there. There was a break in their repartee, and Natalia immediately assumed that it was an unspoken quiet time part five. Ryan ate the sunflower seeds quietly beside her.

"You know, you are kind of a sane-Fox-Mulder," Natalia observed.

"Who's my Scully?" Ryan teased and Natalia blushed.

"Fine. Case and point. Sorry I brought it up."

"Yeah, you probably are," Ryan, quipped and ate his sunflower seeds.

"Keep your seeds to yourself," Natalia joked and Ryan's eyes widened.

"That's incredibly inappropriate!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Ah the irony of a double entendre," Natalia breathed and turned to her magazine.

"It was a good one though, I'll give you that," Ryan offered and smiled weakly.

"Can I admit something, Ry?" Natalia asked, fearful.

"Sure, anything."

"I'm pretty sure I was in love with you too, at some point."

Ryan's eyes widened. "Well that's good!" he breathed.

"Yeah. Except we were both too stupid to do anything about it then."

"And now?" Ryan offered, suddenly sweating rivers.

"I feel like that chance has passed," Natalia conceded. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, doesn't bother me," Ryan lied. "I have Molly and you have a hot French boyfriend."

"Never said he was hot, Mulder," Natalia joked and Ryan rolled his eyes.

"If you're implying that I've been watching you two, Scully, then your diagnosis is astoundingly inaccurate," Ryan quipped and Natalia snorted.

"You're an awful Mulder," she laughed.

"Ditto," Ryan smirked and popped a sunflower seed again.

"I'm pretty sure we should wrap up this stakeout. Its 2 a.m. and the guy's never gonna show up."

"True, true. I'd call Horatio if it wasn't such an ungodly hour."

"You want me to take first watch?" Natalia offered.

"I'm not going to make you stay up while I sleep," Ryan exclaimed.

"That is how stakeouts work, isn't it? This is my first one."

"I'm so sorry," Ryan laughed and she smiled as well.

"Me too. I always thought I'd spend my first stakeout with Eric."

Ryan rolled his eyes at her teasing. "I can call him if you'd like."

"No, I doubt we'd be watching the road if he were here, if you know what I'm saying."

"You are awful," Ryan breathed with a small smile.

"I know. Sorry. Trust me, that would _not _happen with Eric, I promise you."

"I'm happy you're here," Ryan confessed, "instead of Molly."

"Ouch, better not tell her that," Natalia laughed, brushing off the compliment.

"Eh, she knows anyway."

"I'm happy I'm here too, Ryan," she whispered and grinned. "Although the company… I could make a few improvements. Quiet time, please, Ryan."

Xxx

Things were getting too personal for Natalia's liking. Sure, she loved Ryan in more ways than she cared to admit. However, sitting in close proximity with him in the early hours of dawn as the sun rose slightly above the terra cotta houses and shed an angelic light over his calm features as he slept was not very comfortable. Maybe it was just that she knew she could never have him- she had turned him down before because she knew it would be harking back to the failed relationship they had had before. She wasn't even sure if he was all that interested- after all, being stuck in a car for 12 hours with your ex-girlfriend probably wasn't the easiest thing to do.

"Hey Natalia, is that our guy?" Ryan whispered as he awoke.

"Nope, that's the mailman, dumbass!" Natalia laughed and Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, I'm still half asleep."

"I'm glad you slept well."

"You want me to take watch now?" Ryan offered.

"With an eye like yours, I'd say we're more likely to catch this guy if your eyes are _closed,_" Natalia joked and he grinned.

"Alright, your choice. Don't let your boyfriend blame me if you're cranky when you get home."

There was another awkward silence. Natalia was beginning to wonder if maybe having infinitely long quiet time was the best thing for the two of them. "What did your boyfriend think of this anyway, me spending 12 hours with you in a locked car in the middle of the night?"

Natalia rolled her eyes at his lack of subtlety. "He didn't really have an opinion. Mark trusts me- I think it's fair to say I wouldn't do anything to hurt him either."

"I don't think Molly trusts me," Ryan laughed and tossed a sunflower seed on the dashboard. "Not one bit."

"Maybe she's just jealous," Natalia mused. "I can be jealous too."

"Of who?"

_Molly_, her conscience screamed. It scared her how close she came to verbalizing it. "I used to be when I was with Eric."

"Oh."

There was another silence. Natalia felt bad for not mentioning him. "And Erica Sykes," she mentioned quietly.

"Oooh, thank you very much," Ryan laughed and drank another iced tea. "I feel loved now."

"You are," Natalia stated simply, twirling her hair in one long finger.

"Any chance it was because I'm so dashingly handsome?"

"A hell of a lot of chances," Natalia laughed and drank her own iced tea.

They fell into a comfortable, companionable silence. "It's morning," Ryan observed.

Natalia rolled her eyes. "Nice, Sherlock," she grinned.

"I think this lovely stakeout is coming to a close," he mused.

"Alright. It was fun I guess," Natalia smirked.

"You want me to drive you home?"

"No, Ryan, I'd like to walk for an hour," Natalia snapped sarcastically.

"Your wish is my command," Ryan joked, but eventually he ignited the engine and peeled off of the street and prepared their return to Natalia's house.

"What are you going to do now?" Natalia inquired.

"I'll probably sleep for the rest of the day. Feel free to call if you have a relapse," Ryan joked and Natalia rolled her eyes again.

"I won't, trust me."

"You?"

"I'll spend the day shopping with Mark. He hates it, but it'll be fun."

"I don't mind shopping," Ryan spoke quietly. "A quite attractive quality in a man, I might add," he laughed and she rolled her eyes for the third time.

"Cute."

"That's me," Ryan laughed again.

"You're full of bad jokes, aren't you?" Natalia teased.

"And you only spent 12 straight hours with me," Ryan replied sarcastically.

"I'm sorry I wasn't much of an interesting conversation partner," Natalia apologized and smirked. "Although, you could've asked Molly to accompany you."

"But I picked you," Ryan stated simply and Natalia's eyes watered.

"Thanks, Ryan," she whispered as he pulled up in front of her house.

"It's what I do," he smiled and unlocked her door. She opened it and then turned back to him.

"So I guess we didn't get our guy," she remarked.

"Yeah, but we got something better."

"Oh? What's that?" Natalia inquired curiously.

"Something like love," he replied earnestly. "Have a nice day, Talia."

"You too, Ry, you too."

Ryan pulled out of her driveway and she stood, watching the car vanish down the street and out of sight. She slowly turned to her front door, reluctant. She inserted the key and unlocked the door, planning to enter, but something held her back. She knew that if she walked through that threshold, there was no turning back. She would lose Ryan forever. But it was time. Natalia shoved open the door and stepped across the doorway, but not without turning back and glancing at the car she could barely see as it zipped down myriad streets in the distance. She knew he would wait forever. And so would she- if forever was what it took for that 'something like love'.

**I hope you enjoyed! It's a lot different from my other stuff, so I hope you will R&R and keep reading if I decide to continue, which I might. I'm so busy! Yikes! Reviews much appreciated. **


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